Revealing particle acceleration mechanism in supernova remnants with hard X-ray polarimetry

• Project/Area Number: 25870347
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Astronomy; Particle/Nuclear/Cosmic ray/Astro physics
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: TANAKA Takaaki 京都大学, 理学(系)研究科(研究院), 助教 (20600406)
• Research Collaborator: MATSUMURA Hideaki
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2014)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,290,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥990,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥2,210,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥510,000); Fiscal Year 2013: ¥2,080,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥480,000)
• Keywords: 高エネルギー宇宙物理 / X線天文 / 半導体検出器 / 放射線計測 / X線天文学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We aim to reveal how cosmic rays are accelerated in shocks of supernova remnants. Hard X-ray polarimetry with superior sensitivity is one of the promising methods for the purpose. Semiconductor pixel sensors with good energy resolution is a key technology to realise such observations. We have been developing SOIPIX, active pixel sensors based on a Silicon-On-Isulator (SOI) technology. In this research, we successfully improved their energy resolution by amplifying signals in the early stage of the signal processing. The achieved energy resolution is 300 eV (FWHM) for 5.9-keV X-rays. We also improved charge collection efficiency of our sensors, which should be high enough to achieve even better energy resolution. We identified why our previous devices have lower charge collection efficiency.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Investigation of charge-collection efficiency of Kyoto's X-ray astronomical SOI pixel sensors, XRPIX (2014)
  • Author(s): Matsumura, Hideaki; Tsuru, Takeshi Go; Tanaka, Takaaki; Nakashima, Shinya; Ryu, Syukyo G.; Takeda, Ayaki; Arai, Yasuo; Miyoshi, Toshinobu
  • Journal Title: Nuclear Inst. and Methods in Physics Research, A Volume: 765 Pages: 183-186
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.nima.2014.05.025
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Journal Article] Use of a charge-injection technique to improve performance of the Soft X-ray Imager aboard ASTRO-H (2014)
  • Author(s): Kumiko K. Nobukawa et al.
  • Journal Title: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A Volume: 765 Pages: 269-274
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.nima.2014.05.091
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Presentation] Investigation of Charge-Collection Efficiency of Kyoto's X-ray Astronomical SOI Pixel Sensor, XRPIX (2014)
  • Author(s): Hideaki Matsumura, Takeshi Go Tsuru, Takaaki Tanaka, Shinya Nakashima, Yasuo Arai, Ayaki Takeda, Koji Mori, Yusuke Nishioka, Ryota Takenaka, Takayoshi Kohmura
  • Organizer: Suzaku-MAXI 2014
  • Place of Presentation: 愛媛大学城北キャンパス
• [Presentation] Development of SOI Pixel Sensors for X-ray Astronomy (2013)
  • Author(s): Takaaki Tanaka, Shinya Nakashima, Hideaki Matsumura, Takeshi Go Tsuru, Ayaki Takeda, Yasuo Arai
  • Organizer: IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium
  • Place of Presentation: COEX Convention Center, Seoul, Korea
• [Presentation] Development of a full depleted back illumination sensor based on SOI CMOS technology for future X-ray astronomy satellites (2013)
  • Author(s): Hideaki Matsumura, Shinya Nakahsima, Takaaki Tanaka, Takeshi Go Tsuru, Ayaki Takeda, Yasuo Arai, Toshifumi Imamura, Takafumi Ohmoto, Atsushi Iwata
  • Organizer: 9th International "Hiroshima" Symposium on the Development and Application of Semiconductor Tracking Detectors
  • Place of Presentation: 広島国際会議場